Home » Santa Clarita News » Crime » Law Enforcement Continuing Crackdown On Street Racing After Castaic Bust Last Year

Law Enforcement Continuing Crackdown On Street Racing After Castaic Bust Last Year

After a 100-person street racing bust in the Castaic Industrial Park last year, law enforcement is increasing their crackdown on the illegal car “sideshows.”


Sponsored Articles


Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking KHTS Santa Clarita News Alerts delivered right to your inbox.

Southern California long has been the epicenter for street racing. Romanticized in movies like “Grease” and “The Fast and the Furious” franchise, the reality is not so glamorous, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Roughly 170 people have died in Los Angeles County since 2000 in car collisions where street racing was suspected, said D.A. officials.

Alisanne Scolnik, deputy-in-charge of the District Attorney’s Santa Clarita Area Office, said traffic safety issues such as reckless driving, speeding and driving under the influence are among the main community concerns addressed by her office’s six prosecutors.

While law enforcement personnel have worked to stop street racers, Scolnik took a novel step recently to show spectators the dangers these races pose.

As part of an undercover operation by the California Highway Patrol, more than 100 people were arrested at a racing event at a Castaic industrial park last year.

Seven were booked on felonies linked to racing and performing stunts, said District Attorney’s office officials.

Approximately 80 adults, mostly ages 18 to 21, were cited on the misdemeanor charge of being a spectator at the street-racing event.

Scolnik reviewed each case and decided driver safety education may be the best way to resolve these matters.

 

She met with CHP officials and they developed an educational program to address street racing, impaired driving and distracted driving. Those cited, and who met specific criteria, went to the Santa Clarita courthouse in December for one of two 90-minute sessions.

Participants avoided criminal charges under the office’s Pre-Filing Diversion Program, which is intended to keep low-level, nonviolent offenders out of the criminal justice system.

“I felt this was a great way for the District Attorney’s Office to address street racing and provide for the safety of the community,” Scolnik said. “We charged the offenders in court who were actively involved in this illegal activity, and we educated those who were passively involved.”

Report a typo or error, email Corrections@hometownstation.com

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

KHTS FM 98.1 & AM 1220 - Santa Clarita News - Santa Clarita Radio

Law Enforcement Continuing Crackdown On Street Racing After Castaic Bust Last Year

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Devon Miller

Devon Miller was born and raised in Santa Clarita. He joined KHTS Radio as a digital marketing intern in September of 2017, and later moved to news as a staff writer in December. Miller attended College of the Canyons and served as the Associated Student Government President. Miller is now News Director for KHTS, covering breaking news and politics across the Santa Clarita Valley.